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‘How did you meet her?’ I ask, once we’re on the sofa.
‘Funny story. We met in Putney library. About…let me see…It would have been seven years ago.’ He smiles, and his eyes shine. ‘She was studying for her personal trainer qualifications and she used to go in there to work. She shared a flat with a friend at the time and she said she could never get anything done at home. And I was there for similar reasons. Trying to work on my uni dissertation. The funny thing is I can’t even remember how we started talking. It was so gradual. Organic. We were just both always there. Then we were meeting up, socialising. That kind of thing. It wasn’t until then I realised Alice was struggling.’
‘The depression?’
‘Yeah. It was like a cloud hanging over her that she couldn’t escape from. No matter what she did, that darkness was there.’
‘Were you together?’ This is none of my business, but somehow I feel comfortable asking it.
‘No. I had a girlfriend at the time so it was never on the table. I’m not saying I didn’t find her attractive, but I quickly saw how vulnerable she was. And what she needed was a friend.’
Silence floats between us and I think about everything Taylor’s just said. I want to hate Alice, for her part in being with my husband, but all I can feel for her is pity.
‘I know you must have a low opinion of her,’ Taylor says. ‘I guess I don’t really blame you for that.’
‘No. It was my husband’s fault. He’s the one who was married.’
Taylor looks at me. ‘It takes a lot to see it that way. I admire that.’
‘It’s just the truth. Did Alice ever mention a friend called Eloise from school?’
He frowns. ‘Not sure. Maybe. She didn’t see many of her old friends. I don’t know why. Why do you ask?’
‘I know a woman whose daughter went to school with her. I sent her a message asking if I could talk to her.’
‘And what did she say?’
‘She hasn’t replied yet. I don’t think she’ll know anything – her mum says they haven’t seen each other for years, and Eloise lives in Canada now. I just wanted to get a picture of Alice.’
‘I can tell you anything you want to know. But what good would it do?’
‘Maybe it will help me understand why Max got involved with her. I know she was attractive, but Max has never been just interested in looks. There had to be something else about her that would pull him in.’
‘I wish I had answers for you,’ Taylor says. ‘But I have no idea what was going through either of their heads.’
‘Even if they were having an affair, what I’m struggling to believe is that Max would want…to hurt me.’
Taylor studies me for a moment. ‘It’s always someone else, isn’t it? Someone you hear about on the news. It could never happen to us. But the truth is, this kind of thing does happen. All the time. I think more people are killed by someone they know than a random stranger. And why not you? Why not me, if I had a wife? And there’s usually an affair involved. Research it yourself. The stories are out there. But they’re not just stories, they’re real life, Hannah.’
‘He wouldn’t. Max would leave me if he wanted to. He doesn’t need me to be…’ I can’t bring myself to say it. ‘Why would he risk everything? His job? His daughter?’
‘People do this kind of thing because they don’t think they’ll get caught. And because something else is stopping them thinking clearly.’
I recall my conversation with Stefan at the hospital, how he’d overheard Max arguing with someone. ‘Did Alice ever mentionthat she’d argued with Max on the phone? When he was at work?’
‘No, why?’
I tell Taylor what I found out.
He listens carefully, his forehead creased. ‘And it definitely wasn’t you?’
‘Don’t you think I’d remember that?’
‘Fair enough. So you think it was Alice?’
‘Who else could it have been? Max is generally a calm person. Or at least he was. He’d never argue about anything work related. He gets along with everyone.’ As I say this, I wonder when, or if, I’ll hear from Paula.
‘I don’t know. It’s possible, I guess. If they were in a relationship, then of course they could have argued. And Alice was definitely volatile at times. Anyway, it seems there’s a lot you don’t know about Max.’
